It’s barely been two years since the devastating mouse plague ravaged regional areas on the East Coast of Australia, the scale of which felt almost biblical. “We are seeing similar increase in activity, mice running across roads, in homes and sheds. The Rural Flick branches are experiencing an increase in customer enquiries.” said Shaun Coe, Regional General Manager. “A key common concern, to protect livestock and pets”.
Waves and waves of mice washed across country areas of Queensland and NSW, triggered by a confluence of unique conditions. The switch from drought to a season of regular rain – plus an unusually large grain harvest – provided rodents with ideal breeding grounds.
The mice caused havoc for residents, grocers, business and hospitality. Plus farmers lost millions of dollars’ worth of harvest and stock. A combination of natural phenomena eventually led to the mice plague dying out, as well as diligent intervention from experts such as Flick Pest Control.
Unfortunately, there are signs that the mice are staging a comeback.
What are the signs there may be a second mouse plague?
Farmers have reported increased mouse activity across NSW, with the rodents damaging crops and animal fodder. The NSW Farmers Association has issued a warning, with President Xavier Martin urging farmers to be vigilant.
“Members are telling me they’re seeing mice [infestations] again all the way from Queensland down to the Victorian border and out west towards Adelaide.”
“It’s important to stay on top of this issue so we can avoid a repeat of the 2021 mouse plague.”
One NSW Farmer has reported that mice have started destroying crops and infiltrating truck cabins, leading him to drop baits by plane.
Early Intervention is Your Best Weapon
Now is the time to get ahead of the problem, prevent an infestation and erect your defences, so that the problem doesn’t explode in Spring, when mice can breed incredibly quickly.
Traditional methods such as steel traps and poisonous baits can only do so much – and are also problematic thanks to the secondary risks they pose to pets, wildlife, and in contaminating stock. It’s time to weaponise technology against rodents by getting SMART!
Harness the Power of SMART Digital Pest Control.
Flick Pest Control has been protecting Australian communities for over 100 years. We combine world-class technology with deep local knowhow.
SMART Pest Control is our intelligent system which uses data instead of poison to monitor 24/7 for rodents, before trapping them with a non-toxic attractant in an environmentally friendly way.
Our team monitors the system remotely, providing reports and adjusting the solution accordingly.
It’s a method that’s particularly effective for large-scale areas such as commercial warehouses and farms – but just as effective for residential homes.
During the last plague, our clients from multiple industries installed SMART. It was very effective, neutralising the problem. In some cases SMART caught 250 mice in a month and 70 in one night. The boxes are easy to relocate and empty, or Flick’s local team can service them for you.
Get in front of the mouse plague now. As Australia’s leading pest control company, we have nationwide coverage. If you’re worried, get in touch with your local Flick office today to find out how we can help you set up your SMART.